malamala game reserve september 2018 · weeks before introducing them to the pride. indeed, the...

1 Compiled by the rangers of MalaMala Game Reserve


THEMONTH’SWEATHERSUMMARY

Temperature

Celsius(°C) Fahrenheit(°F)

Actual Average Actual Average

Maximum 38 31.6 Maximum 100.4 88.9

Minimum 10 17.3 Minimum 50 63.1

Rainfall

Millimeters Inches Daysofrain

1.5 0.1 1

TOTALSIGHTINGS

Lion 109

Leopard 119

Elephant 142

Buffalo 53

Cheetah 14

Capehuntingdog 22

KILLSTATS

Lion 1buffalo,3nyala,2waterbuck,6impala,1kudu,1scrubhare.

Leopard 11impala,6duiker,5bushbuck,1nyala,5scrubhare,1guineafowl.

Cheetah 1impala,1duiker,1bushbuck,2scrubhare.

Capehuntingdog 3impala,1bushbuck,5scrubhare.


*AGESAREAPPROXIMATIONSLIONS:

THEKAMBULAPRIDE=16+3ADULTFEMALES ±5YEARS6MONTHS3ADULTFEMALES ±5YEARS3MONTHS3CUBS 3MONTHS3CUBS 2MONTHS2+CUBS 1MONTH2+CUBS 1MONTHMALAMALA,WESTERNFLOCKFIELD(58sightings)

SightingsoftheKambulapridehaveincreasedforthethirdmonthrunning.Thisislargelyduetothefactthat an additional two lionesses have given birth, bringing the total number of litters in the pride tofour!Itiscommonpracticethat,justbeforegivingbirth,alionesswillleaveherpridetofindasecludedandsafeplacewhereshewillden.Themotherwillnormallykeephercubsinisolationforfourtoeightweeksbefore introducing themto thepride. Indeed, themothersof the twoolder littershave joinedforces now. This occurred on the 6th when we discovered that the number of cubs at the den nearMaxim’sLookouthaddoubledfromthreetosix.Duringthecourseofthemonththesecubsweremovedto several different dens including Styx Rocks, the rocks under West Street Bridge and the riverinethickets both opposite and south of Rattray’s Camp. For the most part all six youngsters were kepttogetherhowevertherewereafewoddexceptionswhenthecubswereseparatedforbriefperiods.Itwasn’ttheexpected‘three-three’split… itwas ‘four-two’asoneoftheyoungercubsaccompanied itsoldersiblings.Why?Wehavenoidea.Anevenmoreinterestingincidentoccurredonthe10thwhenoneoftheyoungercubswasintentionallyleftonitsownovernight.Aswementionedearlier,afurthertwolitterswerebornthismonth.Hereareextractsfromourdailysightingsreports: “Thismorningwediscoveredthata3rdlionesshasgivenbirth!Wewatchedhercarryacubthat’sonlydaysoldtoadenwestofBushbuckDrive.Theother2mothersthenmovedtheir6youngsterstoanewdeninfrontofRattray’sCampthismorning.”–September6th.“WehavemoreexcitingnewsregardingtheKambulaprideasitcannowbeconfirmedthata4thlionesshasgivenbirth! Itwasa ‘once ina lifetime’sightingas luckyguestswatchedthemothercarryanew-borncubinhermouth.”–September18th.TheKambulapridespentthevastmajorityofthemonthalongtheSandRiverbetweenMalaMalaCampandRattray’sCamp.TheywereofteninthecompanyoftheGowriemaleswhohavebeenintroducedtothesixoldercubs.


As far as predation is concernedwe viewed these lionswith seven self-made kills: three impala, twowaterbuck(includingalargebull),anyalaandascrubhare.Wealsoviewedthemwithfourstolenkills.Hereisanextractfromourdailysightingsreportsforoneofthosesightings:“AnothernoteworthyinteractiontookplacenearWestStreetBridgewhenapackof3Capehuntingdogskilledabushbuckincloseproximitytotheselions.ThelionesseswerefirsttoreactandstolethekillfromthepackbuttheythenhaditstolenfromthembytheGowriemales.”–September14th.All inall, thingsare lookingpromising for thisyoungprideandwe’rehopeful that this recentwaveofcubswillbethefirstthatthey’llraisetoadulthood.

THEEYREFIELDPRIDE=2 1ADULTFEMALE 11YEARS3MONTHS

1ADULTFEMALE 6YEARS7MONTHS CHARLESTON

(5sightings)

ThemonthofSeptembergotofftoagoodstartfortheEyrefieldpride.Theoldestlionesshadjustgivenbirthtoanewlitterofcubsandalthoughwehadn’tseenthecubswedidhearthemonthe6thnearKKPans. Just foramoment it looked like therewas lightat theendofwhat’sbeenavery longanddarktunnel.Unfortunately, as thedayswent by it became clear that the experienced lioness had lost herlitter.ShewasnolongersportingsucklemarksandwesawhermatingagainwiththeAvocamales.Thecloudthathangsoverthispridehasathinsilverlining;shestillhasafewcub-bearingyearsleftinher.TheyoungerlionesswasalsomatingwiththeAvocamalesbutwearefairlycertainthatsheisunabletoconceive.OnSeptember28th these lionessesdemonstratedyetagainwhyweadmire themsomuchwhen theybroughtdownanadultbuffalointheSandRiver,northofCalabashCrossing.

THESTYXPRIDE=11 1ADULTFEMALE 15YEARS8MONTHS

1ADULTFEMALE 10YEARS8MONTHS1ADULTFEMALES 7YEARS8MONTHS2CUBS 1YEAR11MONTHS3CUBS 1YEAR7MONTHS3CUBS 1YEAR2MONTHSNORTHERNEYREFIELD(5sightings)

TheStyxpridewereviewedacross their territory thismonth fromeastof theMatshapiriRiver to the


lowerreachesoftheMlowathiRivertoMlowathiDam.Onthe11ththeywerehuntingaherdofbuffaloalong Tshabalala Road, on the 15th theywere atMlowathi Dam and on the 20th they killed a kudu astonesthrowawayfromMalaMalaCamp.Thesightingonthe15thwasthemostmemorable.Here’sanextractfromourdailysightingsreportforthatincident:“TheStyxpridewasseentwiceand initiallyhadanunidentifiedyoungmalewiththem.Theystumbledupon a bushbuck kill in a tree that the lionesses managed to retrieve in remarkable fashion (videocomingsoon)buttheythenhadittakenfromthembytheyoungmale.”Thevideoistitled‘Lionsfightoverabushbuckkill’andcanbefoundonourYouTubechannel.Wehavenoideawhotheyoungmalewasandhewasn’tseenagain.In general the last 2 years weren’t easy for the Styx pride with several coalitions competing fordominance in the areawhile drought-inducedmange killed off 3 litters. In fact, the youngest lioness(nowamotherherself)wasamemberofthelast littertobesuccessfullyraisedtoindependence!TheGowrie males have brought stability to the pride and although their attentions have been squarelyfocused on the Kambula pride, their presence has (so far) been enough to keep othermales at bay.Mangeisstillpresentinthepridebutthelionsappeartobeontheroadtorecovery.TheStyxpridehasalreadystoodthetestoftimeandwe’reoptimisticthatthey’llkeeponstandingforyearstocome.

THEMARTHLYPRIDE=1

1ADULTFEMALE 5YEARS3MONTHSMARTHLY,MALAMALA

(1sighting)ThelastsurvivingmemberoftheMarthlypridewasonlyseenonceduringthemonthbutitwaswhomshewasseenwiththatisofmoresignificance.WeinitiallyreceivedreportsfromourneighbourstothewestthatthelionesswasinthecompanyoftwoGowriemalesandtheyweremating.WefoundthetrionearBicycleCrossingthefollowingday(22nd).Wedidn’tactuallyseethe lionsmatebuttheydidkillanyalabullrightinfrontofRoom1!Theroadtorecoverywillbealongoneforthispridebutitappearsthatthislionesshastakenthefirststeps.


THEFOURWAYSPRIDE=7+ 1ADULTFEMALE UNKNOWNAGE 2MALECUBS 2YEARS10MONTHS 2FEMALECUBS 2YEARS10MONTHS 1YOUNGMALE UNKNOWNAGE 1+CUBS 2MONTHS

EASTERNFLOCKFIELD (0sightings)

TherewerenosightingsofthisprideduringthemonthofSeptember.

THEGOWRIEMALES=4 1ADULTMALE ±7YEARS9MONTHS 3ADULTMALES ±6YEARS9MONTHS

EYREFIELD,MALAMALA-DOMINANTOVERTHESTYXPRIDEANDTHEKAMBULAPRIDE Firstencounter:September2015. (37sightings)As with the Kambula pride we’ve enjoyed a month-on-month increase in sightings of this coalition.ThesemalescontinuetospendmostoftheirtimewiththeKambulaprideandwereseenwiththecubsnumerous times. It must be noted that these males have been surprisingly tolerant when in thepresenceoftheirplayfulandcuriousoffspring,totheextentthatthemothersevenleftthecubsalonewiththemalesonseveraloccasions.TheirpreyofchoicethismonthwasmediumtosmallantelopethatwereparticularlyvulnerableduetotheisolatedpocketsofwaterintheSandRiverbeingsurroundedbytallreeds.Althoughweonlyviewedthemwith three kills,we’re confident that theymade severalmore.Naturally, they also relieved theKambulaprideofsomeoftheirkills.OneofthethreeselfmadekillshappenedwhenthepackofthreeCapehuntingdogsinadvertentlychasedanimpalaintooneofthemaleswhowasquicktoreact.Thefourthmale,theonewiththeprominentscarunderhiseye,isstillabsent.Hehasn’tbeenseenonMalaMalasinceMaypromptingcauseforconcern.UnconfirmedreportsinJulysuggestedthathewasintheManyeletiGameReservetoournorthbutwe’veheardnothingsince.


THECHARLESTONMALES=2 2ADULTMALES 7YEARS4MONTHS

CHARLESTON (0sightings)

Therewerenoconfirmedsightingsduringthereportedperiod.

THECLARENDONMALES=22ADULTMALES ±13YEARS9MONTHSMARTHLY,NORTHERNMALAMALA(0sightings)

Therewerenoconfirmedsightingsoftheseagingmalesduringthereportedperiod.

THEAVOCAMALES=22ADULTMALES ±5YEARS7MONTHSCHARLESTON(5sightings)

Thisup-and-comingcoalitionwasviewedonfiveoccasionsinCharlestonthismonth.TheyhadfatheredtheEyrefieldlioness’snow-deceasedlitterandweresubsequentlyseenmatingwithheragain.OtherLionsEncountered:

• The Torchwood pride (2 sightings): These lions were viewed on the 15th and the 24th in thenortheasternpartsofourreserve.

• TheSandRiverpride(1sighting):ThislargepridewasseenoncenearCharlestonRock.• AyoungunidentifiedmalelionwasviewedwiththeStyxprideonthe15th.

NUMBEROFDIFFERENTLIONSENCOUNTERED(approximate)

SEPTEMBER 64(28cubs)


LEOPARDS:

THESENEGALBUSHMALE 6YEARS EYREFIELD,MARTHLY,MALAMALA

BrotheroftheQuarantinemaleleopardfromtheNorth(10sightings)

Thisyoungadultmaleleopardcontinuestoappearfirmlyincontrolofhisterritory.ThePiccadillyfemalehas, as a result of this, been afforded the protection and stability needed to safely raise her cub.Althoughmale leopardsdonotplayadirectrole inraisingtheiroffspringtheydoplayan indirectandvitallyimportantone:keepingotherleopardsatbay.Anincidentonthe6thhighlightedthis.Hereisanextractfromourdailysightingsreportforthatday:“ThedaygotofftoagreatstartwhenwefoundthePiccadillyfemaleandhercubinfrontofSableCampatdawn.Themotherleopardwastenseandalert.Somethinghadheronedgeandsheproceededtoroartwicebefore leadinghercubnorthwards.Totheirsouthwecouldhearanother leopardroaring. ItwastheSenegalBushmalebuthisattentionwas focusedonsomething tohiseast.He ranup theeasternbank of the Sand River and disappeared into thick vegetation. The unmistakable sound of 2 leopardsfightingeruptedfromthebushandthissenttheonlookingandalreadyagitatedbaboonsintoafrenzy.Again,audioofaclashemanatedfromthesamearea.Wewereexpectingtofindanothermaleleopardbut were taken by surprise when we discovered that the other leopard was the Island female. TheSenegalBushmalechasedherupatreewheretheyhadabriefscuffle.Thishappenedagainbeforethemaleeventuallymovedaway.”Withregardtopredation,weviewedtheSenegalBushmalewithfourkillsthemonth:ascrubhareonthe 13th, a bushbuck on the 18th (which he shared with the cub of the Piccadilly female), anotherbushbuckonthe20thandanimpalaonthe21st.

THEINYATINIMALE ±10YEARS2MONTHS MALAMALA,FLOCKFIELD

(1sighting)Therewasonlyonesightingofthe InyatinimalethismonthalongthewesternbankoftheSandRivernearMaxim’sLookout.

THEWESTSTREETMALE 9YEARS5MONTHS

CHARLESTON(5sightings)

This impressivespecimenwasviewedon fivedays inSeptemberandhewas initially foundon the3rd


withanimpalakill.Howeverhelookedlessimpressivetowardstheendofthemonth,infacthiswasinquitepoorcondition.Bitemarksonhisrearandabadlimpsuggestthathewasonthereceivingendofan attack from another predator. Leopards are extremely resilient animals and we hope to see himmakea full recovery.Thatbeingsaid, thisdoesprovidetheSplitRockmalewithanopportunityuponwhichtopounce.Watchthisspace. THEACCIPITERMALE ±8YEARS1MONTH

MALAMALA(4sightings)

TheAccipitermaleseemstobedealing in threes!Hesired theEmsagweni female’scurrent litter thatstartedoff as three andwe cannow confirm that the Island female gave birth to a trio aswell. LastmonthwementionedhowthisleopardwasexpandinghisterritoryanditappearsthatitnowstretchesfromourboundarywiththeKrugerNationalParkintheeasttotheSandRiverinthewestandfromasfarnorthastheAccipiterDongadowntotheCharlestonFlockfieldboundary.Thismonthhewasseenmatingwithanervousunidentifiedfemaleonthe19thatStyxWaterholeandwiththeLookoutfemaleonthe29th.

THESPLITROCKMALE 4YEARS3MONTHSFLOCKFIELD,CHARLESTON

SonoftheOstrichKoppiesfemale,independentlatterhalfof2015(2sightings)

TheSplitRockmalewasonlyviewedtwicethismonth.HehadanimpalakillnearFlatRocksonthe21st. THEPICADILLYFEMALE 4YEARS9MONTHS

MALECUB 9MONTHSWESTERNEYREFIELD,MARTHLYDaughteroftheKikilezifemale,independentfirstquarterof2016(30sightings)

ThePiccadillyfemaleandhercubwereourmostencounteredleopardsyetagainwiththevastmajorityofsightingsbeingwithina fewhundredmetersofMalaMalaCamp.These leopardswereviewedwitheightkillsthismonth:aguineafowlonthe3rd,aduikeronthe5th,ascrubhareonthe17thandimpalakills on the 15th, 19th, 27th and 28th. Hyenas stole the impala kill on the 9th and lionesses from theKambulapridestoletheimpalakillonthe28th.Thisfirsttimemotheristhrivingathermaidenattemptin raising offspring and she’s benefited greatly from the protection offered by the cub’s father; theSenegal Bushmale. The cub is growing in size, confidence and capability.Hewas responsible for theguineafowlandscrubharekillsalbeitwithalittlehelpfromhismother.


THESIBUYEFEMALE 4YEARS9MONTHS2CUBS 9MONTHS

WESTERNEYREFIELD,MARTHLYDaughteroftheKikilezifemale,independentfirstquarterof2016(1sighting)

The Sibuye female and her two cubswere foundwith a hoisted bushbuck kill in theMlowathi River,southofMlowathiDam.Theplayfulcubsmanagedtodislodgeanddropthekillonseveraloccasionsbutwere able to retrieve it before a nearby hyena could capitalize. Towards the end of the month wereceivedunconfirmedreportsthatoneofthecubshaddied.

THECUBOFTHETAMBOTIFEMALE 11MONTHS

WESTERNFLOCKFIELD,WESTERNMALAMALA Orphanedinmid-2018

(7sightings)TherehasbeenmuchsaidabouttheThreeRiversfemaleandhowsheovercametheoddsafterbeingorphanedatayoungageanditnowseemsthatasimilarstoryisbrewingwithregardtoanotheryoungleopardwho lost hermother at an even younger age; the cub of the Tamboti female. A sighting onSeptember3rdalongourairstripwasthefirstconfirmedsightingsincehermotherpassedaway.ShewasviewedsixmoretimesduringthemonthandseemstobeoccupyingasimilarspacetothatoftheThreeRiversfemale.It’sstillearlydaysandthecubfacesanuphillbattlebutthemonthendedonapositivenotewhenwefoundherwithaduikerkillnearFlockfieldTower. THEISLANDFEMALE 5YEARS7MONTHS 3CUBS 1MONTH

WESTERNFLOCKFIELD,WESTERNANDCENTRALMALAMALADaughteroftheTambotifemale,independentfirstquarterof2015(6sightings)

AttheendofAugustwebroketheexcitingnewsthattheIslandfemalehadgivenbirthandwecannowconfirmthatit’salitterofthree!Wegotourfirstgoodlookatthecubsonthe23rdwhenwediscoveredtheirnewden in theHogvaalDonga.This leopardhasyet tosuccessfully raiseacubto independenceandwe’rehopingthatthiswillbeacaseof‘thirdtimelucky’!The Island female was initially seen on September 3rd when she was on the receiving end of aconfrontationwiththeSenegalBushmale(thiswascoveredunderhissection inthisreport).Shewasalso found with an impala kill on the 30th in the Matshapiri River, north of its confluence with theHogvaalDonga.


THEEMSAGWENIFEMALE 8YEARS9MONTHS MALECUB 9MONTHSFEMALECUB 9MONTHS

MALAMALA(8sightings)

Lastmonthwe reported the sad news that one of the Emsagweni female’s cub had died. Therewasalwayssomuchexcitementattheprospectof findingfour leopardstogetherwhenventuring intothenortheasternsectionofourreserveandthenewsthreatenedtocurbourenthusiasm.Thosefearswereshort-livedastheseleopardscontinuedtoprovideuswithmemorableandplayfulsightings.Weviewedthemwithduikerkillsonthe5thandonthe23rd,thefirstofwhichwasstolenbyahyena.

THELOOKOUTFEMALE 8YEARS7MONTHSFEMALECUB 11MONTHS

WESTERNFLOCKFIELD,NORTHERNCHARLESTON (7sightings)TherewasaslightincreaseinsightingsoftheLookoutfemaleandhercubthismonth.Hereisanextractfromourdailysightingsreportforthe2ndand3rdofSeptember:“TheLookoutfemaleandhercubwereviewedon2ofthedays.WewatchedthemothertakedownayoungnyalabullonWhiteClothRoadonlytoseehereberelievedofthekillafewhourslaterbyahyena.OnlyafewhoursafterthatwefoundthemwithaduikerkillnearDrumCrossing.”TowardstheendofthemonthwesawtheLookoutfemalematingwiththeAccipitermale.Thisraisedafew eyebrows as we toyed with the possibility that she’d prematurely ushered her cub intoindependence.However,itisfarmorelikelythatshewas‘pseudomating’inanattempttolurethemaleawayfromhercub.

THETHREERIVERSFEMALE 2YEARS5MONTHS WESTERNFLOCKFIELD,WESTERNMALAMALA

DaughteroftheKikilezifemale,orphanedonMay22nd,2017(16sightings)

Thisyoungfemalewasoursecondmostviewedleopardthismonth.Shecontinuestospendmostofhertime on the ‘western bank’, between Flockfield Tower and Rattray’s Camp aswell as in the TambotiThickets. It isodd,tosomeextent, thatbothherandthecuboftheTamboti femalehavechosenthisparticularareatooccupyaslionsdenselypopulateit.Nevertheless,theybothseemtobecopingwell.


TheThreeRiversfemalekilledanimpalainfrontofRattray’sCamponthe3rd,onlytohaveitstolenbytheKambulapride.Wealsowatchedhercatchascrubhareonthe17th.

THEFLOCKFIELDFEMALE 14YEARS5MONTHSFEMALECUB 1YEAR8MONTHS

EASTERNFLOCKFIELD,EASTERNCHARLESTON(0sightings)

Therewerenosightingsoftheseleopardsduringthisreportperiod.

THETEARDROPFEMALE 8YEARS5MONTHSFEMALEDAUGHTER 1YEAR9MONTHSFEMALEDAUGHTER 1YEAR9MONTHS

SOUTHERNCHARLESTON(8sightings)

TheTeardrop female accounted for fiveof theeight sightingswhileher independentdaughterswereseen three times between the two of them.We viewed the mother with three kills this month: animpalaatCharlestonRiverRocksonthe9th,abushbuckalongCalabashDriveonthe16thandaduikeronthe22ndtothewestofZebraSkullSouth.

THENDZILOFEMALE 5YEARS9MONTHSFEMALECUB 1YEAR6MONTHS

SOUTHWESTERNCHARLESTON(6sightings)

Lastmonthwe reported thatwebelieved the cubof theNdzilo femalewason thevergeof reachingindependenceand itnowappears that themilestonehasarrived.TheNdzilo femalewasseenmatingwiththeNwetimaleonthe27thand28thdaysofthismonth.Otherleopardsencountered:Males:

• TheFlatRockmalewasseenoncetheSandRiverinwesternMarthly.• The Nwetimalewas seen on three occasions in Charleston.Wewatched himmatewith the

Ndzilofemaletowardstheendofthemonth.• AnunidentifiedmalewasseenatCharlestonNorthCrossingonthe21st.Here’sanextractfrom

ourdailysightingsreportwithregardtotheleopard:

“CharlestonNorthCrossingwasthesceneforadramaticsightingonFridaynight...Itallstarted


whenwe found a herd of buffalo drinking from a pool ofwater in the Sand River. A flash ofgoldenyellowamongsttheseaofblackalertedustothepresenceofamaleleopard.Theherdhadinadvertentlysurroundeditbeforethey’dspotteditbutnowitwastrapped,intentionally.Abull charged in and, with a flick of its horns, sent the predator flying. The leopard, stillsurrounded,thenhunkereddowninaclumpofvegetationasdarknessfell.Forthenexthouritfendedoffattackafterattackbeforeeventuallyspottedagapanddashedawaytosafety. It’sunclearwhichleoparditwasandtheextentofitsinjuriesremainsunknown.”

Females:

• Therewerethreesightingsofthreedifferentunidentifiedfemaleleopards.OnewasmatingwiththeAccipitermalenearStyxWaterholeonthe19th,anotherwasseenonthe26thnearRattray’sCampandthirdfemalekilledaduikeratMatshapiriDamonthe3rd.

NUMBEROFDIFFERENTLEOPARDSENCOUNTERED(approximate)

SEPTEMBER 33(8cubs)

CHEETAHTherewereatotaloffourteencheetahsightingsinAugust!Weenjoyedamarkedincreaseinsightingsofthemotherwithtwocubswhospenttwelvedaysonourreserve,themajorityofwhichwereonthe‘western bank’. They were initially found at Sandpit Crossing on the 12th with a bushbuck kill. Themotherwasinpoorcondition,sportinganewwoundonhersideanditappearsthatsheisalsoblindinthe lefteye.Weareunsureofhowshesuffered these injuriesbutwecan report that she is inmuchbetterconditionnow.Wewatchedthemothercatchandkillandimpalaonthe20thtothenorthofourairstripandwewatchedthecubscatchtwoscrubhares.Theywerealsofoundwithaduikerkillonthe19th.ThreeyoungcheetahswereviewedinCharlestonontwoconsecutivedaysduringthemonth.NUMBEROFDIFFERENTCHEETAHENCOUNTERED

SEPTEMBER 6

CAPEHUNTINGDOGSWe consider ourselves very fortunate to enjoy relatively regular sightings of Cape hunting dogs onMalaMala.Infactoverthelastfewmonthssightingshavebeenevenmorefrequentandwerecordedawhopping 22 sightings in September! The pack of 4 adults and 8 pups has spent weeks in easternFlockfieldandtheywereviewedonnineoccasionsduringwhichtheykilledseveralscrubhares.Onthe


28thwebroketheexcitingnewsthatapackwhichwasdenning justsouthofushadmovedtheirdenontoMalaMala!Thepackconsistsof6adultsand5pups.ApackofatleastsevenadultswasseenalongSplitRockRoad.Thepackof3continuestooperatealmostexclusivelyonourreserveandtheywerealsoseenon9occasions.Wewatchedthemkillandimpalaonthe5th,abushbuckonthe14thandanotherimpalaonthe16th.NUMBEROFDIFFERENTCAPEHUNTINGDOGSENCOUNTERED(approximate)

SEPTEMBER 33

CAPEBUFFALOANDELEPHANTSTherewereatotalof129elephantand45buffalosightingsinSeptember.Wecanconfidentlyaddthatthesefiguresareconservativeones,especiallywithregardtoelephants.Wearedelightedtoreportanincrease in sightings of buffalo herds (fifteen). The herd sizes are still modest, rarely exceeding 200animals, but our bovine population appears to be on the road to recovery following the devastatingdroughttwoyearsago.OTHERINTERESTINGSIGHTINGS

• The dry conditions have drawn in Sable antelope from the east!We enjoyed six sightings oftheseiconicandrareanimalsastheyfrequentedtheSandRivertoquenchtheirthirst.Weareunsurewhetherornotitwasdifferentherdsorratheranimalsfromthesameherdthatkeptonsplittingupandregrouping.Theherdswereofteneither21or15strongandfollowedvirtuallythesameroutefromtheKNPBreaktoSableRoad,alongthenorthernbankoftheKapenRiverto2ndTurningStyxandontotheSandRiver in frontofRattray’sCampandthenheadingbackeastonthesamepath.

• Several honey badger sightings were recorded during the month including two sightings ofmotherswithcubs.ArelaxedpairwasseenonseveraloccasionnearPrincessAlicePansandwebelievewe’vefoundthedenofasecondpairatthejunctionofOldSkukuzaRoadandNorthernTrackOldAirstrip.

• African wild cat sightings have also increased andmost of the individuals were very relaxedaroundourLandRovers.

• AmelanisticGabargoshawkwasseenalongScottsRoad.• During Septemberwe recorded a noteworthy 13 scrub hare kills!We can’t recall anymonth

over the last decadewith such a high number. It is quite common for rodent populations torespondwellaftertimesofdroughtsoperhapsthesameistrueforlagamorphs.Thisincreaseinpopulationcanbeattributedtotheincreaseinrecordedkills.

malamala game reserve september 2018 · weeks before introducing them to the pride. indeed, the...

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